The influence of Nichiren’s ideas on the general public during the Muromachi period (1334-1568) may be seen in the fact that many of Kyoto’s machishū, or townsfolk, became followers of the Nichiren sect. The machishū, who rose from Kyoto’s autonomous guilds, fostered what could be called the Lotus machishū culture. Some of the Nichiren adherents were upperclass townsmen who acquired great wealth and became leaders of the machishū. The Hon’ami family, famous in the fields of the fine and decorative arts, and the Chaya family, which was engaged in foreign trade, are representative of this class.

When Nichiren temples in Kyoto were attacked by the monks from Mt. Hiei during the seventh month of the fifth year of Temmon (1536), the machishū took the lead in defending the temples. This episode ended with the defeat of the followers of the Nichiren sect. Twenty-one Nichiren temples were destroyed by fire, and the priests took refuge at their subtemples or other temples in Sakai and Osaka with which they had connections. It was estimated that tens of thousands of Nichiren Buddhists lost their lives, and the Nichiren Lotus faith in Kyoto stood on the brink of ruin. However, when permission to rebuild the temples of those priests who had taken refuge in Sakai was granted in the eleventh year of Temmon (1542), the Lotus machishū played a central role in rebuilding Kyoto, and commerce, industry, the arts, and literature once again thrived under their aegis.

What, then, were the bonds between the machishū of Kyoto and the Nichiren sect? It could be that the spirit of positive accommodation with and vigorous cultivation of reality seen in Nichiren’s idea of the Lotus Sutra concurred with the interest of the machishū in working for profit.

Thus the culture of the Lotus machishū which originated in the Muromachi period quickly revived itself after a temporary interruption and was succeeded by the arts and literature of the Momoyama (1568-1615) and Edo (1615-1868) periods. …

One is intrigued by the large number of Nichiren Buddhists who were prominent leaders in the world of arts and letters down to the end of the Edo period. Of course, their works did not necessarily reflect their faith in Nichiren Buddhism, but some extant works do appear to be the fruits of that faith. The link between Nichiren Buddhism and the artistic culture of the Momoyama and Edo periods appears to be the townsman class (chōnin), which supported both. It is akin to the link between the machishū culture of the Muromachi period and the Nichiren Lotus faith, a relationship that was continued by the townsman class of the Momoyama and Edo periods. It should also be pointed out that most of the popular new sects in Japan down to the present day have been dominated by the Nichiren faith. Bearing this in mind, faith in the Nichiren sect and veneration of the Lotus Sutra should be regarded as important foundations of Japanese culture and religion.